This native grows rampant here, almost weedy, but never amounts to much because of black knot disease. I'm curious if anyone else has this in your woodland and if you've had any luck controlling it?
I can't realistically spray all of the trees growing here, and I'm starting to think maybe I should eradicate all or most of them. The spread of this disease is almost 100%. Here's a photo of the best specimen on the property, simply because it seems to have managed to avoid BK.
I'm most curious about why you'd think you'd have to "control it"?
Next, I'm curious about why you'd want to eradicate them. Do you hate your local fauna?
Maybe the discussion should include terminology like pioneer, succession, and climax.
Here's a couple competent Kentucky specimens...
I thought it was a straight forward question, but maybe not. What the heck, I'll play your game. I do not hate my local fauna and never implied such. However, I would like something more than severely deformed Black Cherry, Northern Pin Oak killed by wilt, Amur Honeysuckle, Buckthorn, etc. I live and garden on these five acres. Do I not have the right to pursue my garden pleasures? Do I just throw up my hands and say let nature take its course? Seems to me what you're telling me is don't garden, which is ironic considering we're posting on Dave's Garden.
I'm sorry that someone whose state school just was awarded the number one seed in their region harbors such bile.
Gardening on land like yours is (at least should be) working with nature and her/its currents - not cursing the wind. You have really missed the whole point, and should go sit in the corner and consider your behavior.
I don't say "...throw up my hands and say let nature take its course..." I do say - and I know you are no St. Francis of Assisi - that you might consider:
"...grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
In that vein, may the pedagogy begin.
I'd start by thinning out the worst-infected specimens. Then the good specimen in the pic will seed into the gaps, and if lucky, its seedlings will inherit its resistance.
Resin
ViburnumValley ~ You are right about one thing: I am no St. Francis of Assisi. Are you?
Resin ~ Thank you for the helpful advice. If you were in my shoes, would you remove any seedling afflicted with BK? I often see it on seedlings as small as 3'-4'.
Yes, a good idea. The fewer highly susceptible individuals there are, the less spores will be produced, and the less easily others will get infected. Even a moderately resistant individual could get infected if its resistance is overwhelmed by a massive spore load.
Resin
Massive spore load -- three words I don't want to hear. I appreciate the advice it and it gives me some hope of dealing with this.
Listening in, it is nice to hear I might have done something right. We've trimmed the branches with the most oozing from the severely infected black cherries, and removed the amur honeysuckles around them and the cherrie trees have improved each year. Since they're dried out, I don't know if there's any reason why we can't use the larger branches for firewood.
